Valve-actuator.



MuH. LUCAS.

VALVE ACTUATOR.

APPLICATION man MAY 29, |917.

1,26 1,949, Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

.Mmm 2 INVENTOR wrm .55E l MHZUCQJ.

ATTORNEY MARION H. LUCAS, V0F MOSHANNON, PENNSYLVANIA.

. 'Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented apri e, iota Application led Hay 29, 1917. Serial Eo. 3.72.3411.

To all whom 'it may comtm: i

Be it known that I, MAHLON H. LUCAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moshannon, in the county' of Center and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Valve-Actuators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to water distribution, and more especially to the actuators for valves; and the object of the same is to produce a device for setting a throttle valve or other valve to regulate its opening toda very fine degree, and to hold it to any position in which it may beset.

The invention consists in the details hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein:-

Figure l is a vertical sectional View through this valve and its actuating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, parti Iin'section and broken away to show t e retaining' spring.

i The valve casing is lettered C, and as herewith illustrated it is of that type which contains the partition P having an opening 0 into which closes the va ve V when pushed downward by means yet to be de.- scribed. The inlet and outlet pipes are connected with the ends ofthe casin C fin a manner not necessary toh show. ile I have illustrated a valve and its seat of this type, I do not wish to be limited in that respect. y

`Coming now to the details. of the invention, there is screwed as at 1 into the upper side of the casing a guide. comprising a standard 2 carrying an upright'oval freine 3, and the valve stem 4 rises through the standard and frame and passes through the top of the same where the stem is made nonangulares seen at 5 in Fig. 3Jv where I have shown it as splined in an openin in the frame, although of course it could n square or otherwise----the obvious urpose being to prevent the rotation o the valve stem as 1t isvmoved un and down b mechanism yet to be described, Within t e frame the stem is provided with screw threads 6,

A1l turns said gear on y slightly4 made i and engaged with them is a. nut 'Z at the center of a large ring gear 8, which rotates within the frame above the upper end of .the standard 2, Journaled throughone end which snaps into the teeth of the ring gear 8: to prevent the latter from moving accidentally after it has been set. p With a valve moved by this actuator, va very tine adjustment can be had. Turning the knob or handle 11 it rotates the small pinion 12, and the letter meshing with the teeth in the comparativel large ring gTe'ar he threads in the nut 7 .of the gear engaging those numbered 6 on the valve stern cause the latter to rise or fall very slowly, even though .the handle 11 is turned quite rapidly; and therefore it will 'be'elear .that the*l valve maybe adjusted with reference to its seat to theV finest degree possible. While Ir prefer to use .this actuator on a throttle valve, I do not Wish to be limited thereto. .What is claimed as new isr- Y In a valve actuator, the combination with the valve seat and valve, and a longitudinally movable valve-stem provided with threads; of' a guide for said stem, a nut mounted on the guide and engaging said threads, a. ring gear whereof the nut constitutes the hub, an uprightirame carried by the guide and inclosing the vring gear, a shaft journaled in said frame and having operating means at its outer end, Va pinion secured to the inner end of the shaft and meshing with the teeth o said gear, andlfa datent secured also in said freine Serin withits tip resting on the teeth of ther-mg' gear, substantiall as described.

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